Purple Swamphens' beaks

Sitting by Lake Ginnindera in north Canberra today eating my lunch I came
across a large lump of gristle in my 'roast roll'. I couldn't do anything
with it, and so I threw it to Purple Swamphen to see if it could make
anything of it. It could, it immediately ran with it to the water, dunked
it, and then proceeded to rip strips off it as easily as though it was damp
paper, and gulp them down.

While I was marvelling at this, I noticed that the PS's mate was busy
chasing the local Moorhens away, and when the first PS had finished with the
gristle it moved aside to let this bird feed too.

Their beaks must be as sharp as scissors.
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John Leonard (Dr)
PO Box 243, Woden, ACT 2606, Australia
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